Mouth-piece for cigars



-,(No Model.)

T. S! E. DIXON..- MOUTH PIECE FOR CIGARS.

Nap 100,446, PatentedApr.Z, 1889.

the mouth piece.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THERON S. E. DIXON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MOUTH-PIECE FOR CIGARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 400,446, dated ,April 2, 1889.

Application filed June 11, 1888. Serial No. 276,684. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THERON S. E. DIXON, a

citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Mouth-Pieces for Cigars, Cheroots, &c.,of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal cross-section of a cigar provided with my improvement, and Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the mouthpiece.

Various forms of soft or elastic mouthpieces have from time to time been proposed, because of the important advantages which would be secured by their successful introduction and use. None of these mouthpieces, so far as I am aware, has attained to any considerable success, owing to certain defects in their construction. The general characteristic of such mouth-pieces has been a form resembling'the frustum of a cone, with the small or outer end projecting beyond the end of the cigar and stiffened by the insertion of a tubular or tube-like re-enforcement, to afford the requisite body for the grip of the teeth thereon while holding the cigar in the mouth. This feature of construction, while increasing the cost of manufacture, is a serious defect in the mouth-piece. The tapering form given the mouth-piece renders it difficult to hold it continuously in the mouth,

as the rubber when moistened is slippery. This difficulty continues even when an external rim is provided at the end, while the closing of the teeth upon the tapering and re-enforced portion projecting beyond the end of the cigar acts thereon with a force tending to expel the cigar from the mouth-piece. I have overcome these serious objections by entering upon a new departure in the form given the elastic mouth-piece. I dispense with the tapering tubular re enforced end projecting beyond the end of the cigar, and instead give it a substantially cylindrical form, with an inner roll or bead, forming an abrupt wall or inner flange at the end,against which the cigar abuts when it is properly inserted in In this construction the cigar itself gives the requisite body for the grip thereon of the teeth, which close upon it,

and so directly as to prevent any tendency toward forcing the cigar forward out of the mouth-piece. The inner roll or bead forming an abrupt wall of substantially solid rubber likewise by its stiffening effect aifords a resistance which prevents the teeth from slip ping off from the mouth-piece. It also tends to prevent the free passage of moisture to and from the end of the cigar.

In the drawings, A represents a cheroot or cigar with the small end cut off and inserted in the mouth-piece B, made of soft'rubber or other suitable flexible material in any appropriate manner. The mouth-piece B is provided at its outer end with an interior roll. or bead, b, which forms an abrupt wall, against which the end of the cigar may abut, so that the teeth are naturally brought together over the body of the cigar and in a grip thereon as stable as though a mouth-piece were not employed. The annular roll or interior flange, b, not only affords an abrupt abutment against the end of the cigar, but it also, by the slight but smooth exterior enlargement which may be given to the mouth-piece over the roll, as seen at b in the figure, serves to retain the teeth in their grip upon the body of the cigar.

The mouth-piece may be made of rubber of any appropriate thickness; but a full thirtysecond to a sixteenth of an inch is found to be of excellent service. The rubber is formed in the requisite shape, vulcanized, and then desulphurized.

The mouth-piece above described is soft and agreeable in the mouth. It affordsa firm and stable grip for the teeth directly upon the body of the cigar.. It prevents the free flow of the saliva to and from the cigar. It is inexpensive in construction and possesses all the advantages attainable in a soft and flexible mouth-piece, and is free from any practical defects either in construction or operation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A flexible mouth-piece for cigars, &c., substantially cylindrical in form and provid ed with an abrupt integral interior roll or IOO flange, against which the end of the cigarmay I 3. A flexible mouth-piece for cigars, &c., IO abut, substantially as and for the purpose set provided at one end with an interior annular forth. 5 flange integral with the mouth-piece and with 2. A flexible mouth-piece for cigars, &e., of a slight exterior enlargement over the flange, substantially cylindrical form in the portion substantially as described.

thereof which fits over the end of the cigar, TIIERON S. E. DIXON and provided with an interior flange and slight \Vitnesses: exterior enlargement over the flange, substan- GEO. S. PRINDLE,

tially as described. HARRY BITNER. 

